A Solid-State Electrolyte Facilitates Acidic CO Electrolysis without Alkali Metal Cations by Regulating Proton Transport.

Electrochemical CO reduction (COR) in acidic media provides a pathway to curtail CO losses by suppressing the formation of (bi)carbonates. In such systems, a high concentration of alkali metal cations is necessary for mitigating the proton-rich environment and suppressing the competing hydrogen evolution reaction. However, a high cation concentration also promotes salt precipitation within the gas diffusion layer, resulting in poor system durability.